Tangedco Junior Engineer, four other staff suspended

A 45-year-old Tangedco Junior Engineer (JE) and four other staff including a foreman and powerline inspector (RI) were suspended on Friday for not following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) while erecting electrical poles, that resulted in the death of a gangman on duty a few days ago.

Tangedco officials said, based on the inquiry report, K. Jagadeesan, Junior Engineer (JE), S. Bhakthi Nathan and R. Mahalingam, who are powerline inspectors, foreman B. Sivakumar and K. Senthil Kumar of Onnupuram Tangedco substation near Arani town, were suspended.

Initial inquiry revealed that the deceased gangman K. Prabhakaran (40) was roped in to install four electrical poles on a new plot in Vilankuppam village on September 23. He was accompanied by the suspended staff for the work. As the team was erecting the poles in the open plot, one of the poles slid and touched a high tension (HT) power line on the route.

Prabhakaran accidently lifted the pole to prevent it from falling and was electrocuted. Based on the alert, Kannamangalam police inspected the spot. A case was registered. Residents and family members of the deceased gangman protested against Tangedco officials for not taking adequate safety measures. Based on an inquiry done by S. Jayakanthan, Superintendent Engineer (SE), Tangedco (Tiruvannamalai), Tangedco officials were suspended. A probe is under way.